Priss
10-22-2007, 08:41 PM
Friday night I won tickets to this music festival. It was a two day event at the legendary Monterey Fairgrounds (home of the Monterey Jazz Festival and Monterey Pop. Hendrix rocked on this stage!). They had something like 25 acts on 3 stages from 12:00 to 11:00 and I didn't see a single bad performance. In fact, the worse act there for me was Cake (just because I don't think they have any stage presence and they bore me senseless) but the rest of the crowd loved them.
Saturday night's headliners were The Roots. I'm not a big hip-hop fan but the Roots ripped shit up! There were only about 1000 people left by the time performed, most left after Cake, but the Roots played like it was a full house. They stood around and took the applause and cheers of the crowd, posed for pictures, signed drumsticks and were incredibly professional and appreciative of a crowd that while they might not have known the music were definitely feeling them. The audience that stayed for them loved the performance they gave.
Sunday night was amazing! Ozomatli was the second to last act on the main stage and they tore the house down! They are rock/hip-hop/latin fusion band from Los Angeles. They were wild. There were guys who looked like gang members who were trying hard not to dance. The music and mood washed over the crowd like a hurricane. It was fabulous. Tehy ended their set with the percussion and horn sections climbing about 10 rows into the seats and jamming for 10 min. They even played "The Hokey Pokey". I was blown away. The band that followed that was even better.
Sunday night's headliner was Michael Fronti and Spearhead. Michael Fronti is a very political and very liberal tree hugging pot promoting reggae artist with a huge following in the SF area. I've seen his band name for at least the past 15 years. The band was introduced by special guest, Dennis Kucinich. That's right, the presidential candidate. He didn't even do any campaigning he came out and told us they he came because he loved what Michael Fronti had to say and had even quoted him in a recent speech, "The war against terror is a war against peace." He introduced the band and walked off stage never to be seen again. The band proceed to play some of the best damn reggae and reggae fusion I have ever heard, and I saw the band 2 months ago.
All in all it was a great weekend and I really hope they do it again next year. Here's the line up for both days:
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20TH
Summit Stage
9:00p The Roots
7:30p Cake
6:00p G. Love & Special Sauce
3:30p Zap Mama
2:00p New Monsoon
12:30p Crash Hot
Monterey Stage
9:30p CeU
8:00p Me’Shell Ndegeocello
6:30p American Bang
4:30p Jesse Baylin
3:00p Melodrome
1:30p Holiday & the Adventure Pop Collective
12:00p Jonah & the Whalewatchers
Dog House Stage
10:30p Crash Hot
8:45p Melodrome
7:00p Sea Studios Film
5:30p Yard Dogs Road Show
4:00p Surf Film “Sofia”
2:30p Yard Dogs Road Show
1:00p Sea Studios Film
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21ST
Summit Stage
9:00p Michael Franti & Spearhead
7:30p Ozomatli
6:00p Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
4:30p Tea Leaf Green
3:00p ALO
1:30p Honeycut
Monterey Stage
9:30p Brandi Carlile
8:00p Colbie Caillat
6:30p Ian Ball
5:00p Ollabelle
3:30p Dan Bern
2:00p West Indian Girl
12:30p Rushad Eggleston
Dog House Stage
10:00p ALO
8:30p TBD
7:00p Yard Dogs Road Show
5:30p Sea Studios Film
4:00p Yard Dogs Road Show
3:00p Sea Studios Film
1:30p Surf Film “Sofia”
Saturday night's headliners were The Roots. I'm not a big hip-hop fan but the Roots ripped shit up! There were only about 1000 people left by the time performed, most left after Cake, but the Roots played like it was a full house. They stood around and took the applause and cheers of the crowd, posed for pictures, signed drumsticks and were incredibly professional and appreciative of a crowd that while they might not have known the music were definitely feeling them. The audience that stayed for them loved the performance they gave.
Sunday night was amazing! Ozomatli was the second to last act on the main stage and they tore the house down! They are rock/hip-hop/latin fusion band from Los Angeles. They were wild. There were guys who looked like gang members who were trying hard not to dance. The music and mood washed over the crowd like a hurricane. It was fabulous. Tehy ended their set with the percussion and horn sections climbing about 10 rows into the seats and jamming for 10 min. They even played "The Hokey Pokey". I was blown away. The band that followed that was even better.
Sunday night's headliner was Michael Fronti and Spearhead. Michael Fronti is a very political and very liberal tree hugging pot promoting reggae artist with a huge following in the SF area. I've seen his band name for at least the past 15 years. The band was introduced by special guest, Dennis Kucinich. That's right, the presidential candidate. He didn't even do any campaigning he came out and told us they he came because he loved what Michael Fronti had to say and had even quoted him in a recent speech, "The war against terror is a war against peace." He introduced the band and walked off stage never to be seen again. The band proceed to play some of the best damn reggae and reggae fusion I have ever heard, and I saw the band 2 months ago.
All in all it was a great weekend and I really hope they do it again next year. Here's the line up for both days:
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20TH
Summit Stage
9:00p The Roots
7:30p Cake
6:00p G. Love & Special Sauce
3:30p Zap Mama
2:00p New Monsoon
12:30p Crash Hot
Monterey Stage
9:30p CeU
8:00p Me’Shell Ndegeocello
6:30p American Bang
4:30p Jesse Baylin
3:00p Melodrome
1:30p Holiday & the Adventure Pop Collective
12:00p Jonah & the Whalewatchers
Dog House Stage
10:30p Crash Hot
8:45p Melodrome
7:00p Sea Studios Film
5:30p Yard Dogs Road Show
4:00p Surf Film “Sofia”
2:30p Yard Dogs Road Show
1:00p Sea Studios Film
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21ST
Summit Stage
9:00p Michael Franti & Spearhead
7:30p Ozomatli
6:00p Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
4:30p Tea Leaf Green
3:00p ALO
1:30p Honeycut
Monterey Stage
9:30p Brandi Carlile
8:00p Colbie Caillat
6:30p Ian Ball
5:00p Ollabelle
3:30p Dan Bern
2:00p West Indian Girl
12:30p Rushad Eggleston
Dog House Stage
10:00p ALO
8:30p TBD
7:00p Yard Dogs Road Show
5:30p Sea Studios Film
4:00p Yard Dogs Road Show
3:00p Sea Studios Film
1:30p Surf Film “Sofia”